The deal is far from final, but it appears that the Miami Marlins are nearing another trade to bolster their rotation. The club is in talks with the Cincinnati Reds about Mat Latos.
at this point, all I can report about #Marlins mystery starter to be acquired today is he's a right-hander 1 yr from free agency.
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) December 11, 2014
Sources: #Marlins, #Reds making progress on Mat Latos trade.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 11, 2014
Business has just picked up. Latos is a free agent after 2015, and MLBTR projects him to earn $8.4 million through arbitration this year. The 27-year old made just 16 starts with Cincinnati in 2014, missing two-plus months at the beginning of the season because of offseason meniscus surgery. His year also ended early in September because of inflammation in his right elbow, a possible major warning sign for his health.
In those 16 starts, Latos pitched 102 1/3 innings, posting a 3.25 ERA, striking out 74, and walking 26. The velocity on his slider and curve significantly dropped as the season went on.
If a deal did get done, Latos would slide into a Marlins rotation that includes Jarred Cosart, Henderson Alvarez, and Nate Eovaldi. Jose Fernandez is expected to rejoin the rotation early in the year following Tommy John surgery last May, while Dan Haren’s status is a question mark after yesterday’s trade from the Dodgers. Haren said he wouldn’t pitch for a club other than the Dodgers and Angels in 2015 because of family concerns.
